The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is an occasion to reflect upon the terrible toll of these weapons and to pay tribute to those who suffered.  It is also an opportunity to take stock of our efforts to chart a course to a world without the menace of chemical weapons.

By Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70^th session of the UN General Assembly

This year, the United Nations will choose its next Secretary-General.  We need the best possible candidate for the job.

It is often spoken of as the most impossible job in the world.

This page is to provide you with an update on the Intra-Syria talks. Official Statements by Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy for Syria, and his Office are provided in form of a timeline (please, scroll down for older statements).

          In 1994, more than 800,000 people were systematically murdered throughout Rwanda.  The vast majority were Tutsi, but moderate Hutu, Twa and others were also targeted.  On this Day, we remember all who perished in the genocide and renew our resolve to prevent such atrocities from ever being repeated, anywhere in the world.

          Diabetes is an ancient disease that is taking a growing toll on the modern world.  In 1980, 108 million adults were living with diabetes.  By 2014, that number had risen to 422 million – 8.5 per cent of adults -- reflecting a global increase in risk factors such as being overweight or obese.  Even though we have the tools to prevent and treat it, diabetes now causes some 1.5 million deaths a year.  High blood glucose causes an additional 2.2 million deaths.

          Sport is a unique and powerful tool for promoting dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of every member of the human family.  It is a driving force for positive social change.  That is why some of the world’s greatest sportsmen and women have been, and remain, engaged in helping the United Nations to raise awareness on important issues such as hunger, HIV-AIDS, gender equality and environmental stewardship.

Mine action is critical for an effective humanitarian response in conflict and post-conflict situations.  This is a central message of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. 

Yet in far too many places around the world, new or reemerging conflicts are creating yet another legacy of explosive hazards, such as landmines, cluster munitions and improvised explosive devices.  I am particularly concerned about the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

The international community is now embarking on the challenge of realizing the ambitious and universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  The equal participation and active involvement of persons with autism will be essential for achieving the inclusive societies envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals.

Autism is a lifelong condition that affects millions of people worldwide.  It is not well-understood in many countries, and too many societies shun people with autism.  

Professor Valentina Peterkova, Director of the Institute of Pediatric Endocrinology, part of the State Scientific Centre for Studying Endocrinology, was appointed as the Principal Investigator for COSI in the Russian Federation. This is the first step to a country participating in COSI.

Then, a training seminar on childhood obesity in Europe and on COSI implementation, to prepare a national team of experts who will participate in the study, was held on 14–17 March 2016 in Moscow, Russian Federation at the State Scientific Centre for Studying Endocrinology.

Each year on this day, the United Nations honours the memory of millions of Africans forcibly removed from their families and homelands over hundreds of years.

The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade also shines a spotlight on prevailing racism and prejudice today.